The TLOS variants

[Rocker]

Love the hidden track btw which seems to be a Brian solo perfomrnace (vocal-wise at least).

I've been very busy lately, so I haven't heard about the hidden track.  How can I find it?

Just let the CD play after "Southern California"

[Dove Nested Towers]

Just got the Best Buy disc. Really like "Just Like Me & You". As others have said, has similar feel to "Being With
the One You Love" aka Doin' Time on Planet Earth, '88 solo album, etc. Great production, very uniquely Brian-
esquely plaintive and idiosyncratic.

More resonant to me than anything else on TLOS except intro & reprises, Been Way Too Long, (remake, doesn't really count), MAD and Southern California.

Not meant negatively, love Van Dyke's narration writing, Brian's overall voice tone, lyrics poetically addressing
and exorcising demons of past.  Some melodies just seem a little insubstantial. The album does have a way of
burrowing into one's mind very evocatively and effectively. Brian
seems to have rekindled spark since BWPS. Many kudos to the band for providing a comfortable creative environment.

Hope "Pleasure Island" comes to fruition. Have a feeling it will be very irreverent, nutty and great!

[smile-holland]

I've lost track of just what one will have to buy to "have it all" for TLOS.

What beyond:
TLOS- standard CD release
TLOS-standard CD/DVD release
TLOS-US Best Buy CD/DVD with bonus material
Thanks

I already bought the vinyl version. There's Japanese vinyl as well. And of course the Japanese cardboard-version (ordered that one). No bonuscuts on those though.

Update: not just cardboard, but gatefold. A mini-LP. I just picked up my order at my local recordstore. Great little package, very faithful to the vinyl version. Cover is exact the same (the cover of the regular CD-release differs from the vinyl release. Front, back (except from the Side A and B mentioning), and artwork on the inside. Even the label of the vinyl was used for the CD (the orange of the vinyl's A-side). Lyrics are on a foldout paper though (otherwise it would be unreadable). Plus of course the obligatory obistrip and Japanese lyrics.

And now to find out if the audioquality is also from the vinyl master.... (which would be an improvement from the other CD's, reading all compressing-comments)

[Awesoman]

Having now heard all the bonus tracks (thanx to those who helped me out, btw), I can safely say that if need be you can do without them.  Here's a quick review:

"Good Kind Of Love" (w/ Carole King) - Virtually the same exact song as on the album except King's vocals replace Taylor Mills'.  And the difference is negligible.  And just a side note concerning this song: it's a catchy fun tune but I totally could hear it as the theme to a really bad 80's sitcom. 

"I'm Into Something Good" - A big letdown.  Just an awkward, clunky cover of a song that Brian Wilson should have knocked out of the ballpark.  Instead it sounds like a bad reject from the Love You album.  Take that as you will.  And Carole King doesn't help.  It will certainly clear the room during parties however.

"Just Like Me And You" - A so-so song.  And Brian has no business trying to hit those high notes.  Has some quirky charm but is unmemorable.

"Oh Mi Amor" - This one actually isn't bad at all until Brian starts yelling later in the chorus.  I can actually see this one as the theme to a novella (Spanish soap opera).  Probably my favorite out of all the bonus tracks but that isn't saying too much.

"Message Man" - Another quirky tune with BW charm written all over it but it's still pretty lightweight.  And it probably goes on longer than it needs to.

And there you have it.  If I were to choose which release has the better bonus tracks between the Best Buy release and iTunes, I'd give the nod to iTunes.